


Here's How We Got Here

by Rellanka



Series: A Year Of Cloudy Skies [72]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Emperor's New Groove Fusion, Fluff and Crack, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:20:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25214548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rellanka/pseuds/Rellanka
Summary: Zack and Aerith have an interesting request to make of Cloud.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Series: A Year Of Cloudy Skies [72]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1697269
Comments: 6
Kudos: 78





	Here's How We Got Here

**Author's Note:**

> Playing with canon a bit and implying that Seph and Cloud were in a relationship pre-Nibleheim, and they knew Aerith and about Zack/Aerith.

“You must be joking.” 

It was, quite frankly, the **only** response that Cloud had to the situation before him. 

While he genuinely appreciated Aerith and Zack’s ability to sometimes cross the line between life and death to interact with him, and while such interactions were instrumental in allowing Cloud to feel as if he hadn’t failed them entirely… This was one time he could have gone without the visit. 

“C’mon, Cloud, this isn’t like before. He doesn’t have any of his old strength! He’s not going to make it when he’s like this without help.” Zack pleaded earnestly, his eyes already gaining that puppy-like glaze to them that Cloud had learned to dread after more ‘adventures’ than he could count had turned into ‘Cloud being called in by his superiors to be lectured.’ 

Cloud turned his eyes to the fucking **Grangalan** that was currently floating between Aerith and Zack moodily. The fucking Grangalan that was actually **Sephiroth** , trapped in such form by the Planet until he learned the error of his ways. Or something. 

Cloud had a feeling Sephiroth would be crossing his arms, if he had had them. The eyes were certainly still able to glare well enough. It was eerie, because Sephiroth wasn’t like other Grangalan’s. Doubtlessly having to be set apart even as a monster, the arrogant asshole. Instead of being the typical brown, he was largely an off-white color, with grey-and-black stripes along the bottom of his shell. Odder than even the color was the shock of silver-white hair that sprouted from the top of the egg to trail all the way down with the tips just barely avoiding touching the floor. Additionally, there was even some lining and shape to its ‘face.’ The face **looked** like Sephiroth’s, in the same way that maybe an oddly-shaped onion would look like Sephiroth, if you held it away from you and squinted with one eye.

It was altogether too fucking much, and Cloud wanted no part of any of it.

“He can materialize saw blades out of thin air, Zack, I think he’ll be fine.” Cloud said dryly, turning his own glare back to Zack.

Zack winced at the thought. (Reminder? Cloud hoped not, considering the fact that Zack was likely going to succeed in talking Cloud into taking care of the former General. Cloud wanted to be sure that Zack knew what he was getting Cloud into.) “Yeah, but, even with that, he’s still a pretty low-level monster, buddy. Despite who he was, he doesn’t have the strength to survive the bigger guys.” 

If anything could be take down monsters at a much higher strength level than themselves, it would be Sephiroth. Through spite alone, if need be. Besides… was Cloud supposed to care about this? “I’m not interested.” He said firmly, getting ready to turn away and ‘nope’ right out of this entire fucking messed up situation and escape while he still could.

Aerith’s hand on his arm froze him solid, as he was sure she knew it would. Cloud fancifully imagined his tiny inner hope that he might successfully get out of this wither into dust and blow away. 

“Cloud,” she began softly, “Please. There’s so more to Sephiroth than what he was at the end, you know that. The two of you… you used to have such a good relationship. I… it gave me hope that Zack and I would make it, because if the two of you could go through the difficulties you faced and still love each other as much as you did… maybe other people could, too.” She met his eyes with her pleading ones, and Cloud knew in that moment that he was fucked, “Please… just try.”

Cloud closed his eyes, breathed in slowly, silently kissed any sense of comfort or peace of mind goodbye (because he certainly wasn’t going to be experiencing those again while Sephiroth was with him)… before eventually opening them to two beaming and expectant faces. 

“Fine.” He said shortly, just before he was jumped by two figures with happy exclamations, wondering hands, and far too many ruffles of his hair. 

After basking in his friend’s closeness for a bit, Cloud finally pushed them away, the oddity of Sephiroth’s silence and stillness sending a creeping realization into his mind. Glaring suspiciously at both of them, he asked slowly, “Why doesn’t Sephiroth have anything to say about this, anyway?”

Zack’s sheepish smile confirmed Cloud’s suspicions before he even said the words, “Aerith cast Stop on him before you got here. You know, just to make sure that everything went smoothly and you were able to agree before you two started bick-“ He coughed, “Started misunderstanding each other again.”

Cloud stared at him blankly for a moment. Then he started wondering whether or not his self-worth and mental state could take the blow that breaking a promise to Aerith and Zack would cause. When Sephiroth finally shook off the status ailment, he was sure the other… heh, the bad egg would have plenty to say. Cloud wasn’t looking forward to hearing any of it. His self-worth and mental state answered firmly that they could **not** take such a hit, and Cloud reconciled himself despondently to the rest of his, hopefully, not-too-long near (and dearly miserable) future. 

(He was right about one thing, by the way.

Once free of the status ailment, Sephiroth **did** have plenty to say.)

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is more a setup to the rest of the FF7 version of this movie, but I hope you have as much fun picturing where things go from here as I do.
> 
> Now picture the waterfall scene. 
> 
> So, I knew I was going to do this AU with Sephiroth, but also wasn’t sure about it because I wasn’t sure what monster to make him. One short google search, about 5 minutes and one article later and I knew the **perfect** monster to make him. I dare you to really think about this monster and then find me one better. (No, really, I need this knowledge.)
> 
> Article: https://www.pcgamer.com/a-tribute-to-final-fantasy-7s-weird-monsters/
> 
> Also putting this here so the people who monoship Sefikura can see it as well: Thank you so much for all the comments, guys! I haven't had enough time or energy to really reply to them lately because of RL things and everything else I'm trying to get done with this series, but I do see them and appreciate them so much.  
> 


End file.
